Toledo Summer League: First Team (June 19-20)
Stumbling upon a summer league in Toledo this week has been a pleasant surprise. The previous two nights, at Toledo Woodward and Toledo Scott respectively, we’ve watched some interesting June basketball between teams from Northwest Ohio (and also a very talented Detroit Wayne Memorial team).
Teams are clearly still figuring out their identity, as these June runs are valuable experience, but not quite high-stakes games. In turn, most players are still figuring out their roles heading into next season.
Yet, the top prospects already understands their role: lead the team. Here, in our first recap of the past two days, we’ll highlight the best five players (regardless of position) in this week’s First Team article.
Lewis because ... his lob passes and catch-and-shoot ability from deep. Lewis caught fire early in their game against Maumee Valley on Tuesday. Once the sharpshooter established himself as a deep threat, defenders got caught playing Lewis way out away from the basket; Lewis made the defense pay with pin-point lobs and quick dribble drives. Lewis also got to the free throw line on a few occasions.
Nunn because ... he’s one of the few talented guys who played with a ton of energy every minute he was out there. In a relaxed environment, Nunn set the tone for Findlay by hustling back on defense and crashing the offensive glass. Often, Nunn was able to make plays simply by out-working opponents, which resulted in a couple baskets. But, this doesn’t mean Nunn has no skills. Actually, Nunn created shots in the mid-range often, as he’s able to knife through the defense with physicality and a spin move.
Root because ... his defensive versatility and shooting. I’ve never personally seen Root defend other perimeter players or even play a true guard on offense. He’s always on undersized teams, where he’s asked to operate on the block and mid-range almost exclusively. However, Root always competes in these situations, and has shown the ability to win rebound battles against much larger counterparts.
Root is efficient as a shooter off the catch. He compliments that with a nice pump-fake option, which often leads to a step-back to create separation. Through all of this, Root is a gifted passer, who is able to see the court and find guys cutting towards the basket.
Williams because ... he was the best college prospect in the gym, and he played like it on Tuesday. Williams’ ability jumped off the page as soon as I walked into the gym yesterday. Beginning on defense, Williams can pick up opposing points full-court because of his lateral quickness and defensive instincts. He wore a few opponents by making them change direction time and again, even before they reached half-court. Once the defensive possession is over, the unselfish Williams pushed the break by passing up the court without hesitation. At times when Wayne found themselves in the half-court offense, Williams got separation with lightning quick moves. Nobody was able to stay in front of Williams, which allowed him to work on his pull-up from three-point range.
First Team (players are in alphabetical order)
Carl Banks (2018), 5’7” PG, Toledo Waite
Isaiah Lewis (2019), 5’11" G, Detroit Wayne Memorial
Ryan Nunn (2019), 5’11” G, Findlay
Bryce Root (2018), 6’3” G/W, Freemont Ross
Rashad Williams (2018), 6’3” PG, Detroit Wayne Memorial
Banks because ... he’s a scoring machine, who always seems to drop in a basket when Waite needs it most. In the first half of Waite’s game against Toledo Start, Banks impressed with his anticipation by double-teaming on help-side or picking a dribblers' pocket on-ball. But, in that second half, Banks had all but two points in the entire half for Waite. While Banks’ teammates were getting open looks, nobody else could find the bottom of the net. Yet, the game was close, and Banks scored at will to give Waite the win. He finished in transition by spinning layups in off the glass, used his sneaky jump-stop to get to spots in the lane, and drilled home deep triples off the catch. While Banks is noticeable small, both in height and weight, he makes up for it with quickness, speed, and determination. Also, said jump stop, which he uses to split doubles and even in a step-back fashion, is effective against larger defenders.Lewis because ... his lob passes and catch-and-shoot ability from deep. Lewis caught fire early in their game against Maumee Valley on Tuesday. Once the sharpshooter established himself as a deep threat, defenders got caught playing Lewis way out away from the basket; Lewis made the defense pay with pin-point lobs and quick dribble drives. Lewis also got to the free throw line on a few occasions.
Nunn because ... he’s one of the few talented guys who played with a ton of energy every minute he was out there. In a relaxed environment, Nunn set the tone for Findlay by hustling back on defense and crashing the offensive glass. Often, Nunn was able to make plays simply by out-working opponents, which resulted in a couple baskets. But, this doesn’t mean Nunn has no skills. Actually, Nunn created shots in the mid-range often, as he’s able to knife through the defense with physicality and a spin move.
Root because ... his defensive versatility and shooting. I’ve never personally seen Root defend other perimeter players or even play a true guard on offense. He’s always on undersized teams, where he’s asked to operate on the block and mid-range almost exclusively. However, Root always competes in these situations, and has shown the ability to win rebound battles against much larger counterparts.
Root is efficient as a shooter off the catch. He compliments that with a nice pump-fake option, which often leads to a step-back to create separation. Through all of this, Root is a gifted passer, who is able to see the court and find guys cutting towards the basket.
Williams because ... he was the best college prospect in the gym, and he played like it on Tuesday. Williams’ ability jumped off the page as soon as I walked into the gym yesterday. Beginning on defense, Williams can pick up opposing points full-court because of his lateral quickness and defensive instincts. He wore a few opponents by making them change direction time and again, even before they reached half-court. Once the defensive possession is over, the unselfish Williams pushed the break by passing up the court without hesitation. At times when Wayne found themselves in the half-court offense, Williams got separation with lightning quick moves. Nobody was able to stay in front of Williams, which allowed him to work on his pull-up from three-point range.
